We race towards the Father.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever."

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Monday, October 25, 2010

What I believe and videos....Rock on!

I randomly decided that I am going to post a few posts about what my Christian life is all about. I've been reading about how I need to always be ready to give a defense for the faith that I have in Jesus Christ. So I am going to be posting my testimony, what Christ actually did for us, what He can do for you and what I am trying to do for Him. I am going to be adding videos too. If you're like me....nothing explains how you feel more than a song (bonus points if it's a you tube official music video :p).

This will be good practice for me. i always post about stuff He is doing in my life and stuff but I forget about the most important thing He HAS ALREADY done. The one thing that people will remember till the end of the earth when Christ comes back to reign.

Here goes nothin. I guess I'll start with what Christ did for me and you. That's the best place to place in the beginning...well, in the middle too, and actually...why don't we end there as well? Haha. I guess it all centers around the cross.

Now for a few gooooood songs! That explain it pretty well.

I think these songs do a good job explaining what Christ did.

Here's the story...paraphrased. God, the God of the universe created Man and the world and the stars and the animals. But his greatest creation of all was the first man, Adam, because He made Adam in His image. He also made Adam a partner, Eve. Everything that God made was perfect. There weren't any thorns on the earth, no blood was shed, the carnivorous animals that we know now ate plants. Everything was PERFECT. No death, no pain, no tears.

Adam and Eve lived in a garden where they walked and talked and shared a speial relationship with God. Now, there was only one thing that God told them not to do and that was to eat the fruit from one tree in the garden, The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil or they would surely die. That was the only rule! But one day, Adam and Eve were walking through the garden and a serpent was in the Tree of Knowledge and he enticed Eve. He made her question God. He said, "You don't really think that eating this fruit will make you die? Do you? If you eat this fruit it will make you like God - All knowing. That's why He doesn't want you to eat it. He doesn't want you to be like Him."

Eve believed and she ate of the tree.

The first sin had been committed. Nothing would be the same. From then on, the race of man is fallen and sinful. We will never be in perfect communion with God again. If you were born, which since you are reading this post it's safe to say that you are, then are born into a sinful nature.

Sinful nature? Why does that matter? Who cares? Yeah, we sin now and then, but it isn't a big deal right? Because the human race fell, in order to be able to spend eternity in heaven with God and have that communion with Him again a perfect sacrifice had to be made OR humans would have to be perfect - and that just isn't possible. If you have ever told a lie, or lusted, or said or even THOUGHT something unkind....you're a sinner. So that's all of us. We cannot be perfect, so someone had to come and be that perfect sacrifice for us if we were to ever have hope again.

The same God who created the universe, years later, left His perfect home in heaven and became a helpless baby in a virgin's womb. He grew up sinless. SINLESS people! He was the only person to ever be sinless since the fall of Adam and Eve. Can you imagine having a perfect son? One that didn't have temper tantrums or be smart every once in a while?

This boy, named Jesus, teaching the 'teachers' of the land about His Father in heaven. Everyone was astonished, but He knew what His heavenly Father had planned for Him.

At the age of thirty years old Jesus began His ministry. He performed many miracles, healing, baptizing, performing miracles, and teaching the people of Israel about the way to heaven, the Father in Heaven and His will.

The people were taken with His words and many many became His disciples. But the Pharisees of the land were upset. They had heard the old prophesies about man who would be the "Messiah" the "Coming King" and the "Son of God" but they scoffed at Jesus because He came as a lowly servant. The Pharisees were outraged that He called Himself the Son of God because they expected the Son of God to be a rich and mighty King not a servant.

Claiming to be the "Son of God" was a crime deserving of death in those days. So they beat Jesus and hung Him on a cross. On the cross Jesus suffered emotional pain as well as physical. Because God looked upon Jesus and saw our sin. By going to the cross, Jesus took our sins upon Himself. So when God looks at me? He sees a sinless girl because my sin was KILLED that day on the cross with Jesus Christ!

Why does this matter?

Jesus was the only sinless man. And innocent blood was needed to pay for us. The reason Jesus went to the cross was because it was the only way we could be saved and reconciled with God!!!!

ROMANS 5: 12-15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

By one person, sin entered the world, but by one man (GOD) there is now an escape!

This is the best part of the story. Three days after they killed Jesus, he rose again! They buried him in a tomb but He arose!!! HE was the only person who could conquer death! DEATH HAS BEEN CONQUERED! The powers of Satan and the power of evil was conquered! And we can experience that victory in Christ.

If we put our faith in Christ - if we believe that He is Lord and give our lives to Him we can experience that victory. That victory over sin - knowing that it was crucified with Jesus. That victory over death - knowing that because Jesus defeated death, we can spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Isn't that beautiful?

Here is another way to explain it! Ever seen Narnia? My favorite character was Edmund because I feel like I can identify with Edmund. Edmund was the selfish little brat no one liked because he was constantly thinking of himself! He betrayed his brothers and sisters and friends so many times.

He meets the white witch and is taken with her and her beauty. He willingly does anything she asks of him. But soon, the witch's ugliness starts to show and he is afraid because there is nothing he can do.

Soon, Aslan's (the good King, also the lion in the video) comes to save Edmund. They bring him to Aslan. Aslan tells Edmund that He is guilty of betrayal. The worst thing of all. The White Witch (Aslan's worst enemy) comes back to claim Edmund, because according to the black magic of the land all the traitors belong to her and must be put to death on the stone table.

Naturally, Edmund was terrified. He WAS a traitor and there was nothing he could do to save himself.

But, with out telling Edmund, Aslan offers Himself as a replacement for Edmund. the White Witch is overjoyed! She has wanted to see Aslan dead for years. So she gives grace to Edmund and takes Aslan to the stone table to be killed.

But the story ends when Aslan rises from the dead! Because the black magic said that any person who is innocent that is killed on the stone table shall rise again!

That's what Christ did for us, you know. I was a traitor. I had done wrong and thought about only myself, but Jesus took my sins and died with them.

If you are reading this and are not sure if God has taken your sins....be cheered because He can and He will. Believe. This information can change your life.

At the end of the video is my favorite part. You see Edmund and all his siblings recieving crowns and sitting on thrones.

That what is promised those who give their life to Christ. Eternal life reigning with Christ.

And that's just the beginning of the benefits. I'll get into the others in the coming posts.